The Tiger gently lowered Nyx as they neared the Snake’s territory. As they arrived, the Aetherlings had already descended from the sky, led by Len, with Suli, Ryu, Nabi, and Guerim close behind.
“Nyx!” Len’s voice was shaky, tears streaming down his face as he hurried toward her.
Nyx gave him a soft smile, touched by his worry. “I’m alright,” she assured him, even though she could feel the weight of her earlier decisions. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
Len’s relief was palpable, but his expression darkened as the fear faded. “Why, Nyx? Why did you do that?” His voice broke, frustration mixing with the lingering fear. He had been terrified.
Nyx bit her lip, suddenly feeling sheepish. “I wanted to be able to do things on my own, without depending on everyone else all the time.”
“That doesn’t matter!” Len’s voice cracked, his wings twitching in agitation. “I don’t care if you need help—just don’t do something like that again.”
Their exchange was cut short by the sight of Drac and the Snake. The battle had ended, both creatures panting heavily, standing apart in a rare moment of shared understanding. Whatever had happened in their past, it had stopped the fight, a memory holding them both in check.
Without another thought, Nyx rushed to Drac, throwing her arms around him, her tears flowing freely. “Drac, I’m so sorry,” she sobbed, her face buried against his scales. “I won’t ever do it again.”
Drac bent his head down to her, his rough but gentle face brushing against hers. “It’s okay,” he murmured, his voice soft and calming. “I knew why you did it. I should have done more to help you feel better.”
Nyx shook her head, still crying. “No, it was me. It won’t happen again.”
For a moment, neither of them said anything, just holding each other, the silence between them filled with unspoken emotion.
“Let’s go back to my territory to get you looked at,” Drac said after a while.
Nyx sniffled as she wiped her face.
She nodded, and without waiting for anyone’s input, he gently scooped Nyx into his arms. Len perched on her head, and the other Aetherlings settled around her, providing comfort in their quiet, steadfast way.
Just as Drac started to move, Nyx suddenly remembered. “Oh! Drac, I have to tell you something.”
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He paused, looking down at her with a raised brow.
“I made a deal with the Tiger,” she confessed, feeling both excited and a little anxious. “He wants me to visit his territory every two days, and in exchange, he’s going to teach me a new skill.”
Drac’s expression faltered, but he could see how much it meant to her. She looked so eager, and he didn’t want to crush that excitement. With a reluctant sigh, he nodded, his gaze flicking to the Tiger, who watched from a distance. “Alright,” Drac said slowly, though his eyes held a warning as they met the Tiger’s.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Nyx!” the Tiger called out with a wide grin.
Nyx waved back, a smile spreading across her face despite the lingering tension.
As for the Snake, he had already slithered back into his cave, letting out a disdainful scoff at the whole scene. To him, it was all ridiculous.
At Drac’s Cave
Once they had reached back at Drac’s territory.
Nyx took a bath to calm her nerves. Once she was done, she sat beside Drac, nibbling on some fruit and sipping milk.
Len and the others were all around her, keeping her company as they rested. But Nyx's mind wouldn’t stop replaying what happened.
Drac finally broke the silence. “Nyx,” he said softly, “I’m not mad at you. I’m just upset you didn’t feel like you could talk to me about it.”
Nyx looked away, feeling the guilt creeping up. She hated disappointing him. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she wiped them away, feeling ashamed.
“I... I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Drac nudged her gently. “It’s alright. Just, don’t ever do that again. If you ever feel like you're a burden or anything, you tell us. Promise?”
The others nodded in agreement, and Len watched her closely. They all seemed to echo Drac’s words, showing their support.
Nyx took a deep breath, feeling a bit lighter. “I promise,” she said quietly.
A comfortable silence settled over them. Then Drac asked, “How’re you going to manage things between the Griffin and the Tiger?”
Nyx froze, suddenly realizing she hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I... I didn’t even think about that,” she admitted, avoiding their gazes as she felt a bit embarrassed.
Everyone chuckled at her, finding her reaction amusing.
“Well,” Drac continued, “you could visit the Griffin’s cave early in the mornings, then head to the Tiger’s place in the evenings. It’s every two days, right? On the off days, you stay here.”
Nyx thought about it for a moment, then nodded. “That makes sense, but... instead of staying at the cave, I was thinking I could go back to the Silverheart Tree and hang out with the others.”
Drac gave her a look. “No. You’re staying here. End of story.”
Nyx sighed, knowing there was no winning this. “Alright,” she mumbled.
Drac seemed satisfied but added, “Also, Len and the others will go with you. Security.”
Nyx opened her mouth to protest, but Drac shut it down fast. “No argument. They go, or you don’t go at all.”
She rolled her eyes, clearly defeated. “Fine.”
The others nodded, with a bit of fear on their faces, except for Len, who was used to Drac by now and didn’t mind.
Clearly anxious, they chimed in.
Suli spoke up first, “We don’t mind coming with you, Nyx. It’s for safety, after all.”
Ryu nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it’s no problem. Better safe than sorry.”
Nabi and Guerim exchanged worried glances. Nabi said, “We’ll stick with you. It’s the best way to stay safe.”
Guerim added, “Yeah, we’re on board.”
“I’m okay with it,” Len said, his tone calm.
With everything settled, Nyx yawned, her body finally relaxing. One by one, Len and the others found their spots on her, curling up as they prepared to sleep. Nyx closed her eyes, feeling comforted by their presence.
Drac watched her quietly as she drifted off, feeling a sense of peace knowing she was safe and surrounded by people who cared for her.